The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-01-05

m Ink both upon foolscap and legalcap
without any sensible appreciation, was
passing along the east side Of the gas
lit square, with his coat-collar pulled
up and his adam s-apple pulled down
to cover it from the whirling storm.
Seeing Il light in the office Of Bower
& IWoodman he went up the stairs
and entered. John Earring was
sitting at the big round table
in the rooms center with
pile of law books beside him aud the
gas light falling over him. He.nodded
and smiled pleasantly to the sioplngg-
youth, and with q side
wave of the head motioned him to
seat. Salvo thought him very strong,
clear-cut looking fellow as he sat there
with his high forehead. clear eyes,
large, straight nose, nervous nostrlls,
and brown hair. Like most young
driving Americans, he looked little
pale and rather older than his years.
He had writing pad before him on
the table and was rapidly gathering
notes from the volumes as he turned
the pages, and as Salvo indicated that
he only desired to sit and read awhile,
he proceeded with his work. SalVo
threw his thin shanks over table, and
drawing drab-backed copy OF David
Copperiield from his pocket began to
move forward under the magician $
wand. now twitching the corners OF
his mouth. giving his nose little spastlc
Jerks like rabbit, and endeavoring IN
vain to swallow his adam's-apple as
his heart rose against it.
SO the time ran on and the court
house clock struck ten, then eleven,
and at last doomed slowly the mid
night hour away up in the storm, but
John Earring did not pause in his writ
inc, and Salvo was trying very hard TIC
swallow his adam s-apple and did no,
notice it. Suddenly tn re came kind
of muflled seething sound; John Ear.
ling listened, sprang up quickly and
throwing the window up looked out
half the square was black with silent
moving figures bleared over by the dia
and swir,ing storm. With whitening
face he dropped the window, caugh
up his hat and went leaping down tn
stairway with the bewildercd Salve
after him. When they reached tho
walk the front OF the mass was passing
and John Earling sprang upon hitch
mg-rail and sent his heavy voice ring
ing out over them.
Men, for Gods sake don't commi
another murder! Do not be- rash! LIE
us, 1 implore you. ABIDE by the law
We will convict him again and han;
hlm lawfully in the end'' he cried.
| But the dark and misty mass poure'
forward through the driving storm
and voices cried out of it: 1--WE viii
hang him now, ifyou pleased and a la
form striding at the front turned il
face the other way and muttered: lit
the kid!''
John Earring sprang down and IA
in front of them, entreating them
the name of Heaven to dcsist. but bot
he and Salvo were swept along lik
chaff, and near the jail were sweptint
another seething mass, and the whol
human flood rolled against and brok
about the big stone Jail.
In AN instant John Earling was upo
the fence-wall pleading for mercy II
, the prisoner, but he could not be heart
and the mass drawing back in the cel
ter suddenly shot forward and the 81
door crashed and the human tloo
roared and the building was filled viii
r screams.
3 John Earring sprang into the surgin
!! mass and fought his way toward tt
4 door, and again came the shiverir
G crash and the mass drew back with
S roar and plunged forward again bea
4 ing him with it, and as the oak-tr,
ram crashed and tore through Il
: heavy door he was sucked in by Il
r frenzied shouting surge and borne
the stairway among the iron cells tn
1 rang with shricks. The halls in
i breath were checked with sweatin
g steaming, snow-whitened men, shot
y ing, surging, gesticulating, and dim
Y lit up by lanterns. In a moment tv
]. stalwart fellows with sledge hamme
d were shifting an iron door, bringing
e crash with every blow and peal
e shrieks from the cells and roar tro
n the surging men that filled the h
# stairway, and blackened the stree
e The big sheriff came crowding into t
d hall with revolver in hand, but he "
II hurled aside and his revolver wrench
It from his grasp.
h Just as the door crashed from
k hinges and hung by the lock 10
g Earring reached it. His hat was
t. and his shirt collar torn away, and
,! the top of his voice he was implori
t. them to desist. In the time of hea
he beat he had his arms about one OF
N men struggling with him. Don't!
ID God Almighty's sake, Alb, don't ts
his blood upon your soul!' he v
lie shouting. The painting man had
ae eyes turned over hisS s h = cnss he
ne told US, biafIe's got to prove it! ) !
y VI Won't hev to tell us agin?' and W
e. the words, which were scarcely dist
I'd guishable in the noise, the iron d.
was wrenched back. and, break
i'd loose from the lock, hurled tn
n. against the wall, and there, fatter
he against the grating in the larth
b, corner of the cell, with eyes start
n from his head, and as white as if lif
er from coffin, stood Fowler, frozen w
ie terror. In an instant dozen pow
m full hands jerked him, quivering a
s. begging, forward, and the roaring m
1T poured down the stairway into
lg seething street, out into the cold nj!
er among the storming elements and S
v stormier men. The big sheriff a
y John Earling strove in vain to take
10 prisoner from them, and Joel Whitr
IL and Julius Popp, coming putting a
it sweating into the misty, shOutil